Deportation of Journalist Sparks Debate

[Southpaw Bookworm]

When freelance journalist Elena Lappin boarded a flight from London to Los Angeles International Airport, she envisioned exploring the City of Angels.

Instead, the most she saw of the city on her truncated trip in May were glimpses of nighttime urban Los Angeles through the metal bars of a security van.

Detained upon arrival by immigration officials, then clapped in handcuffs and jailed, the British subject was told she would have to be deported for entering the country to research a story without a special press visa. She said she did not know she needed the visa.

The 49-year-old reporter on assignment for London's Guardian newspaper was held for more than a day before being sent back to Britain.

http://www.dominionpost.com/a/news/2004/07/23/bn/

According to this article, 18 journalists have been deported in the last year and a half. Anyone else slightly nervous that the U.S. efforts to get reporters (and thus, witnesses to the world) out of the country?


:tinfoilhat:

[LibertyorDeath]

1. The reason for her deportation

on assignment for London's Guardian newspaper